


A Tale of Arya and Gendry and Jon's Christmas Present

by yggrites



Series: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Basically, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, So there you go, and a lack of arya/gendry on christmas, i was feeling the spirit, literally just fluff what is this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-17 02:56:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13067658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yggrites/pseuds/yggrites
Summary: Arya was about to get the book off the shelf when a pair of strong hands grabbed the other end."I'm sorry, but I really, really need this."





	A Tale of Arya and Gendry and Jon's Christmas Present

Arya Stark was on a quest. 

It was the 23rd and she still didn't have a present for Jon. She had found the perfect one which was only sold in the North but her flight home had been delayed. To top it off, she had already tried about a dozen stores the day before and they were all sold out. She had to turn to the mall, which you only do if you have a death wish.

But nothing could bring her down today. It had started snowing heavily about a week ago and Winterfell was about to face one of the biggest snowstorms of the decade, which left Arya feeling happier than anyone who was about to be trapped in a house with her siblings and significant others would. But it was Christmas and even though she wouldn't openly admit it, Christmas just made her really enjoy life in general. Arya was unecessarily happy today. 

So no, pretty much nothing could stop her.

Except maybe a bloody nose.

 

_**1 hour earlier** _

 

Her day had started off at 7 that morning. After trying basically every book store in the North, she had dragged Ned Stark out of bed at this ungodly hour to drive her to the mall since, by the time they got there, there was an hour-long line just to get a parking spot. Getting to the book store was basically an obstacle course of baby strollers and elves and people carrying gift bags bigger than them. That alone would have been enough to drive any sane person to turn around and go home to order some generic crap online. But then she saw it,  _it_ being the last copy of a special hard cover edition of the History of the War of the Five Kings that weighed about 7 kg and was about half her size. Knowing how much of a History geek Jon was, she had to get it for him. Besides, he always gave the best presents, he deserved some Christmas love. Arya was about to finally get the book off the shelf - and basically sweating at this point - when a pair of strong hands grabbed the other end.

"I'm sorry," She heard a deep voice somewhere above her head."but I really, really need this."

She could have actually laughed.

"Too bad, buddy. So do I."

The stranger, however, did laugh. "I was actually just being polite, I can just take it from your hands and go."

Arya sized up her opponent. He was pretty tall and definitely looked strong under the reindeer sweater he was wearing. And he didn't look too bad either.  _Foccus._ She tried to seem unfazed. "Maybe, but I could always run after you. With your size and a book that weighs about the same as a medium-sized ham, you'd get tired relatively fast."

Unfortunately, he didn't look particularly threatened.

"Look," he started." this is for my best friend, he's crazy about this stuff. He invited me to spend Christmas at his family's mansion because he knew I'd just be alone in our miserable grad student house, so I really need a good gift." He said all that without even pausing. Unfortunately for him, Arya wasn't easily moved. Not even on Christmas. 

 _Fine,_ she thought,  _since we're bringing out the sob stories._ "Too bad, because I need to give this to my very favourite brother out of five who I haven't seen in months since we study on opposite sides of Westeros." She gave him a triumphant smile. She hadn't called Jon her 'favourite brother out of five' since she was 9, but desperate times call for desperate measures. She was even willing to bring out the bastard card if necessary.

"We're not convincing the other to let go anytime soon." Arya nodded her agreement."So we'll just stand here like those brides who fight over wedding dresses?"

She wasn't budging. "If I have too."  
The guy laughed and offered her a smile that could actually qualify for a Colgate comercial.. "Well then, I'm Gendry." He let go of the book with one hand and offered it to Arya. She took his hand and shut him down, trying to ignore the little flip of her stomach.  _You're not flirting your way out of this, mister._

"Well, Gendry, we're not doing this. I'm just going to stand here until you get tired, we're not sharing life stories. Now, if you could hurry I'd really appreciate it since I have to be back home for lunch." She grabbed the book firmly with both hands again and pulled it closer to her. The guy, Gendry, pulled as well.

"Oh really?"She raised her eyebrow at him and pulled again. He actually looked a little offended.

"What are you, 12?"

"And a half."

They were both really pulling at that book by now. There may or may not have been some shouting involved - there definitly was and it was mostly coming from Arya.

Gendry was looking around, looking a little embarrassed for fighting with someone about a foot shorter than him over a history book, but Arya didn't seem bothered. She really had to get this for Jon.

Gendry rolled his eyes. "Look, this is stupid."

But Arya wasn't even listening. The second she felt him release some of the pressure on his side of the book she pulled hard, resulting in the hard cover coming into contact directly with her nose.

"Oh shit."

A few surprised squeals, a couple looks of annoyance and a fainting at the sight of blood from some of the other shop go-ers later, she was being rushed to security, Gendry by her side as red as possible trying to explain to the man escorting them just exactly how she ended up hitting herself in the face with a book. 

"Me? You're saying this is my fault?" He would have said she squealed if he wasn't slightly scared of her by now. The man only shrugged, trying to pretend he cared about their argument and failing.

While Arya sat down and one of the security guards tried to stop the bleeding, she was busy bickering with Gendry who had been asking her if she was fine every 30 seconds. She wanted to be mad at him, she really did. I mean, she had grabbed the book first, what kind of asshole tries to pull it out of her hands? But he looked so distressed it was actually amusing. Besides, she now had Jon's present safely inside a bag by her side since she had refused to go see security before it was paid for and wrapped, so she was feeling pretty good about herself. It din't mean, however, that she wouldn't bicker. 

"Chill," she tried to convey all the amount of sarcasm in the world into her tone. "I'm sure people get smacked in the face with books all the time."

"Really?" His voice was about as dry as humanly possible. "You're suggesting this is my fault?"

"Well, I wouldn't know, I was a little busy getting  _hit in the face with a book._ "

Meanwhile, the look on the security guard's face made her realize why suicide rates spike on Christmas.

"This is so stupid." Gendry went on. "I'm a 25 year old, for the love of Jesus, and I just smacked an 18 year old in the face with a freaking book."

"I'm not 18!" Arya tried to sound more indignant but it was hard when she was wearing a sweater with snowmen and pompoms on it while someone was trying to wrap up her nose.  "And you do admit it was your fault!"

"Not the point."

" _Dude,_ will you stop pacing around, you're making me-"

Suddenly a very mother-hen like Jon burst through the door and rushed to her side. The security guard had insisted she call someone to pick her up ("Oh for the love of God, it's just a bloody nose, it's not like I'm dying."). He really seemed to be regretting that decision right now.

"What happened?" He asked as he examined her. "Who was the ass that hit my sister in the face with a book? And how does that even happen?"

"Well it's your lucky day, you even get to meet him yourself."

Jon looked around and only saw Gendry. He looked between him and Arya. "Gendry?" At the same time, he asked a question of his own. "Sister?"

Arya held her hands up before the questions kept going. "Wait, you know him?"

The security guard really looked like he wanted to disappear into the wall. 

Jon kept looking between Arya and Gendry and was now shaking his head. "He's my roomate, the one I told you about, that I invited over for Christmas." He only looked at Gendry now and laughed. "Dude, I'd give you hell about this but I'm pretty sure she's got that covered."

Gendry sort of looked like he would be happy to die any moment now.

"I'm going to get the car since I basically left it in the middle of the road, meet me at the entrance and I'll take you both home." And with that Jon was gone.

Arya got up then, Jon's present safely tucked under her arm and smirked at Gendry. She couldn't even try to be mad at him anymore, the person who had given Catelyn Stark's daughter a bloody nose on Christmas Eve's Eve would be sitting at the table with them, that was enough punishment. "I'm Arya, by the way."

"I'm aware." Gendry looked like he was positively pissed off at each and every god out there.

"And we don't live in a _mansion._ "

 

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you guys enjoyed it! Also, there may or may not be a second part to this.  
> Merry Christmas!


End file.
